For the second time in as many weeks, Airdrie returned home from Fife with nothing to show for their efforts.

A 12th-minute goal from Scott McBride was enough to secure the points for East Fife and consign Jimmy Boyle's Diamonds to a fourth league defeat of the season.

Airdrie made two personnel changes from the starting line-up defeated at East End Park last Saturday.

Striker Lewis Coult dropped to the bench and midfielder David Sinclair was left out altogether.

Their replacements were Liam Watt on the left side of midfield, and Grant Drummond. His inclusion in defence allowed skipper Darren McCormack to take up a holding midfield role.

East Fife featured former Airdrie players Steven Campbell and Liam Buchanan, with ex-Scotland internationals Robbie Neilson and Gary Naysmith filling the full-back positions.

The only goal of the game came in a first half completely dominated by the hosts, who will be disappointed to have gone in at the break only a goal up.

A loose ball in the Airdrie box broke to winger Scott McBride, and his low rifled effort found the net with a deflection wrong-footing goalkeeper Gallacher for the second week running.

Despite their lead, East Fife were often wasteful in front of goal, with Willis, Clarke and Brown missing the target with good chances.

The closest the Diamonds came in a poor first half was a Liam Watt effort which drifted past the post, and a Liam Coogans drive hacked off the goal-line.

The second-half saw two further goal-line clearances from efforts by Martin Hardie and substitute Lewis Coult.

The latter seemed to be stopped by the hand of a defender, but referee Kevin Graham waved play on, and subsequently booked Coult and McCormack for their protests.

The Fifers had chances to extend their lead, Gallacher making a brilliant save from a McBride piledriver, and Pat Clarke nodding over the bar when it looked easier to score.

Airdrie continued to press, but were continually thwarted by deep defending, Willie McLaren frustrated by a fantastic blocking challenge and a point-blank Greg Paterson save.

Willie Aitchison's men held on for the win, and Airdrie headed back across the Forth Road Bridge without a point for the second consecutive Saturday.

Stuart Mathie at Bayview Stadium.

Photographs © Robert Dalzell. Click to view full size.